


a knife in the heart

by katebishoop



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Gen, Late Night Conversations, Missing Scene, Resurrection, Season/Series 07 Spoilers, Spoilers for 7x03
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-31
Updated: 2017-07-31
Packaged: 2018-12-09 06:24:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11663442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katebishoop/pseuds/katebishoop
Summary: “What was that Ser Davos said… about taking a knife in the heart for his people? Did you notice that?”





	a knife in the heart

_ “...made Jon Snow King in the North… he is the first to make allies of Wildlings and Northmen. He was named Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, he was named King in the North, not because of his birthright, he has no birthright- he’s a damn bastard. All those hard sons of bitches chose him as their leader because they believe in him. All those things you don’t believe in, he faced those things. He fought those things for the good of his people. He risked his life for his people, he took  _ a knife in the heart _ for his people, he gave his own-” _

 

_ “What was that Ser Davos said… about taking a knife in the heart for his people? Did you notice that?” _

_ “You must allow them their flights of fancy, it’s dreary in the North.” _

Dany had a gut feeling that there was more to the story than a simple metaphor.

“There is one my question that I have, Jon Snow.” Dany watched as they turned back. She would not call him king - His Grace, or the like - but she would not call him Lord either. One title gave leeway, the other disrespect. This was her middle ground. “I should ask you how you know the Red Priestess, Melisandre.”

She saw him tense, eyebrows knitted in confusion. His Hand was a different story - she could see the rage brewing in him.

“I feel like I should be asking you.” Jon Snow said, audibly confused.

Dany raked her hands together. “She is the reason I summoned you here.” Dany began. “She showed up here, and told me of this prophecy that I had a role to play in. And that so did you.” She watched them carefully - Ser Davos was still visibly angry, but Jon Snow looked more upset, contemplative. “She said that I should summon you and hear your tales for myself.”

It was Ser Davos who finally spoke. “Is the priestess still here, Your Grace?”

“I’m afraid not.” Dany turned to see that Varys had stepped forward. “She left soon after you landed on the beach. According to her, it would not be a happy reunion between you three.”

Jon swallowed. “She garrisoned at Castle Black under the service of Stannis Baratheon.”

As far as Dany could tell in their short time together, Jon Snow had never lied to her.

But just one part of the truth was not what she was looking for.

“Ser Davos.” Dany turned to the knight. “You seem like you have something you wish to say.”

Ser Davos looked from her to his King. Jon was imploring, but Ser Davos could not be contained. “As part of her dark-blood magic, she burned Shireen Baratheon, a girl of ten and five, alive at the stake.” His face was red a blotchy. “She was an innocent girl! King Jon agreed that should she step foot in the North again she would be hanged.” Ser Davos worked his jaw. “And if I ever saw her again, that I would kill her myself.”

She could see from the pain on Ser Davos’ face that this was also the truth. But more interestingly, Jon Snow looked relieved. 

“Dark-blood magic?” Dany asked. “I have heard of the Lord of Light’s followers. How they are capable of many things, or at least rumored to be.” Dany took a few steps toward them. “Tell me, Ser Davos, what did you mean by saying that Jon Snow took a knife to the heart for his people?”

You could hear a pin drop.

Jon Snow would not look at her. Ser Davos looked trapped. And from the corner of her eye, she could see Tyrion, unsure.

There was something about Jon Snow that she couldn’t put her finger on. Something about him eluded her. She did not like that.

And Jon Snow, finally turning to look at her, with a sad, heartbreaking look in his eyes, eluded her even more.

“It is exactly what it sounds like, Your Grace.” Jon Snow said. “Forgive me, but I am exhausted and must return to my chambers.”

She did not stop him as he left. Nor did she stop Ser Davos when he followed a moment later.

* * *

“We enjoy what we are good at.”

“I don’t.” He had replied.

That’s when she knew something had been up.

She found him at cliffs, brooding as Tyrion had put it. He did not acknowledge her when she came to stand beside him. They were facing North, no doubt his mind set on Winterfell, his home, and the threat he claims is fast approaching.

She almost gave up, slowly turning to leave after the sun had started to set when he finally spoke.

“I never asked for any of it.” He said.

She stilled. His eyes were still on the North.

“I never asked to be King, I never asked to be Lord Commander,” Jon rubbed a hand over his face. “Hell, I never even asked to be legitimized. I turned Stannis Baratheon down when he offered.”

Jon clutched at his chest, his heart, his hand on the direwolf pressed into the leather straps of his cloak. “I did not ask for her to bring me back.”

She still did not fully believe him about the white walkers. But she felt it in her bones as soon as the words left his lips, that they were true.

“I was stabbed by men of the Night’s Watch for allowing the wildlings South of the wall.” He said. “One… one was a boy around my younger brother’s age. I hanged them.”

“You said that Melisandre told you of prophecies.” Jon went on. “She tried to talk to me about them too. But I have been a pawn my whole life, a soldier. Death was supposed to be when my Watch ended. But she brought me back.” Jon Snow shook his head. “I can still feel the knives digging into me. I can still feel the cold of snow against my back as I lay bleeding out before their sign, “traitor” it had said.”

He turned to her then, and looked her deep in the eye.

“She asked me what I had seen, after my death.” Jon Snow said. “I saw nothing. Nothing at all. I can still feel that nothingness.”

The sun had set completely now, and she could barely see his face.

“If the Red Priestess hadn’t brought me back, the Watch would have killed the wildlings. My sister would still be married to and tortured by Ramsay Bolton… The North would be divided.” Jon said, head hanging. “But I made her swear, I made all the men who knew about it swear - that should I die again, that I would stay dead. That my body be burned with the rest of them.”

“I don’t know how much you believe in this prophecy.” Jon said, turning back towards the Keep. “But I don’t want any part of it. I just want to keep my people safe.”

Dany swallowed hard. “As do I.”

Jon Snow sighed. “The difference between us is that you wish to rule over them when you’re done.”

He left her there. And she stayed there, for quite some time.

He was right this… this dead man risen again. She did want to rule them. And she would.

It was her birthright.

And if she had to put another knife into his heart at some point, so be it.

**Author's Note:**

> Give Me More Jon Confronting His Resurrection 2k17.


End file.
